Chapter 254 Darlene Has Someone protecting Her
Matthew and his crew rolled in right after.
One of the old-timers from the Ingram Group grumbled, "Man, she's got some nerve. Basically saying all the prime gems are already snatched up by the Spellscroll Group."
The top gem guru from Ingram chimed in, "Darlene's been on a crazy rise these past couple of years, making a name for herself in the gem world. Every time she hits a gem market, she scores big. Her deal success rate is over ninety percent, and she always bags the best gems. Folks say she's got a natural gift for this stuff."
The guru got all serious. "We can't sleep on her this time."
Another gem expert added, "Yeah, she's the real deal. Just a touch, and she knows a gem's worth."
Rex, with a smirk, said, "Who knows if she's playing dirty to get those results." He was convinced Darlene was up to no good.
The guru sighed, "Doesn't matter how she does it, fact is, she's snagging all the top gems."
Elizabeth suddenly asked, "Isn't anyone keeping tabs on her since she's so famous and all?"
Darlene was clearly a big shot in the gem world! Made sense; the more she shined, the more the Spellscroll Group backed her, and the more clout she had. She'd be a hot commodity in the gem circles, making powerful friends. No wonder Nicholas, the heir, had to respect her.
But being so high-profile, Darlene would definitely be under watch. Special departments and the Divination Association had to have noticed her.
The guru said, "Oh, for sure, but she's got some serious protection. No one dares mess with her, which is why she's so cocky."
Elizabeth asked, "Isn't it the Spellscroll Group backing her?"
The guru replied, "Nah, the Spellscroll Group alone couldn't make her this untouchable. Word is, she's got some big shot behind her, but no one knows who. Some folks tried to go after her before, but they got wrecked. Now, no one dares to cross her."
Elizabeth pushed, "Has the Divination Association or any special departments looked into her?"
The guru said, "Yeah, some folks thought she was cheating and reported her. The Divination Association checked her out and said she's clean. They chalked it up to her natural talent."
The guru's eyes were green with envy. He sighed, "Guess we can only dream."
Elizabeth nodded. "Got it."
The Divination Association had vetted Darlene, but who knew if they genuinely found nothing or just swept it under the rug. Elizabeth was leaning towards the latter.
It appeared that Darlene had her connections within the Divination Association. It made sense; whoever was supporting Darlene had been scheming for years, so it wouldn't be straightforward.
This gem market was the biggest in a decade, pulling in jewelers and gem lovers from all over. The place was buzzing.
This market was all about a one-way auction with two ways to bid: open and sealed. For open bids, each gem rough had a starting price. You'd jot down the rough's number and join the bidding later. If no one else bid, you got it at the base price. If others jumped in, the price went up, but you always knew where it stood.
Sealed bids were a different beast. You'd note the rough's number, write your bid on a slip, and drop it in a bid box. Highest bid wins once all bids are checked.
The market was split into four zones: A, B, C, and D. Zones A and B were for open bids, while C and D were for sealed bids. Today was all about open bids. For sealed bids, folks noted the roughs today and submitted their bids, with results announced the next day.
Everyone headed into Zone A, checking out the roughs they liked and setting their price limits. In the afternoon, they'd bid based on these numbers and their analysis.
The exhibition area was packed with rough stones, mostly unopened. Whether they had gems inside was a gamble. But it was also the best shot at finding hidden treasures.
There were also some roughs with a bit of gem showing. Whether they'd be a win or loss was still a gamble.
Finally, there were a few roughs with gems fully exposed. Buyers could bid based on quality. This was the safest bet—no loss, but no big win either.
Matthew led their squad of appraisers, carefully checking each rough. Elizabeth, with paper and pen in hand, started her examination too. Even though she could use divination to sense special magnetic fields indicating gems, she held back; it felt too much like cheating. She believed in giving others a fair shot.
She used a gem appraisal method she'd learned before, mainly looking at the rough's color, luster, shape, and cracks. She also had tools like mineral water and a special flashlight.
Rex chuckled as he watched Elizabeth at work. "Elizabeth, do you really know how to appraise gems?" he teased.
Before Elizabeth could answer, Raymond jumped in, "Of course she does! Can't you see how pro she looks?" His eyes sparkled with admiration, clearly impressed by Elizabeth's focus.
Rex just rolled his eyes. This guy thought Elizabeth could do no wrong.
Elizabeth laughed, "Yeah, I learned from Wayne, so I know a bit about gem appraisal. This time, I'm just buying for fun."
She added, "If you wanna join in, pick any rough you like, and I can help you check it. But hey, my judgment might not be spot-on, so don't blame me if you lose."
Raymond laughed, "Sounds like a plan! Appraisal is always a gamble. If we lose, it's on us."
Rex chimed in, "Alright, I'll grab a few too."
Elizabeth let the two go and pick, relying on their instincts if they didn't know much. After noting them down, she'd help them check.
Elizabeth kept picking while keeping an eye on Darlene.
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